What Factors Affect a Child’s Growth?
A number of factors go into determining how tall your child will be. Some of these are:
Gender
Boys tend to be taller than girls.
Genetic Factors
A person’s height tends to run in families. Most people in a certain family will grow at similar rates and be of similar height. However, this isn’t to say short parents may not have an extremely tall child.
Health Status
If a child has certain medical conditions, it can affect their growth. One example is Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes those who have it to be unusually tall. Conditions that may cause a child to be shorter include arthritis, celiac disease, and cancers. Also, children who took certain medicines, like corticosteroids used over a long period of time, may not grow as tall.
Nutrition
Overweight children will often be taller, while underweight or malnourished children may be shorter. However, this doesn’t always predict a child’s ultimate height.
What Are Some Methods to Predict How Tall a Child Could Be?
There are several formulas that can estimate how tall a child might be. While none have been proven to definitely predict your child’s height, they can help give you a rough estimate.
Height at Young Age Method
For boys, double your son’s height at age 2. For girls, double your child’s height at 18 months.
Example: A girl is 31 inches at age 18 months. 31 doubled = 62 inches, or 5 feet, 2 inches tall.
Mother and Father’s Height Average
Calculate the mother and father’s height in inches and add them together. Add 5 inches for a boy or subtract 5 inches for a girl, to this total. Divide the remaining number by two.
Example: A boy’s mother is 5 feet, 6 inches tall (66 inches), while the father is 6 feet tall (72 inches):
- 66 + 72 = 138 inches
- 138 + 5 inches for a boy = 143
- 143 divided by 2 = 71.5 inches
The boy will be an estimated 5 feet, 10 inches tall. The results are usually within 4 inches, plus or minus.
Bone Age X-Ray
A doctor can take an X-ray of your child’s hand and wrist. This X-ray can show the growth plates of a child’s bones. As a child ages, the growth plates become thinner. When a child is finished growing, the growth plates will disappear. A doctor can use a bone age study to determine how much longer, and taller, a child may grow.